World's Costliest Capital

Japan Times - Views from the street

I was reading this article and I thought it'd make a good topic. What are everyone's views on the fact that Tokyo is one of the most expensive places in the world? Any tips on how to save money or complaints on how you can't.. Heh. So yeh.. Umm.. What do you think?

Tokyo doesn't seem more expensive than London to me. Flats are smaller, I guess (and that's not guaranteed - some people live in pretty tiny flats in London), but that's about it. Again, apart from smaller apartments, I'm sure Tokyo is cheaper than Scandinavian cities.

Bush's family made japan make tokyo so expensive because they stole a lot of real estate in japan during the occupation and wanted to profit off it.
they also created cancer,
cheers

as I hear, from reliable sources, japanese property is ve-cheap as, well, there was a ginormous recession and so prices are low at the moment: commercial property 60% down from peak in early 90's while residential about 40% down... and when also looking at Englands ongowing "nuclear explosion" in prices, japanese property should be cheaper than londons.

Then, again, pocky have always been more expensive than the average english snack to me, so I think japanese products are expensive.

gipper said:

Bush's family made japan make tokyo so expensive because they stole a lot of real estate in japan during the occupation and wanted to profit off it.
they also created cancer,
cheers

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as I hear, from reliable sources, japanese property is ve-cheap as, well, there was a ginormous recession and so prices are low at the moment: commercial property 60% down from peak in early 90's while residential about 40% down... and when also looking at Englands ongowing "nuclear explosion" in prices, japanese property should be cheaper than londons.

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Well, during the early 90s, real estate prices were inflated beyond their actual value. People were so intent on investing in Japan that they threw their money at anything they could, artificially driving up prices that came crashing down later in the decade.

Japan is also experiencing deflation as their economy attempts to correct. If the Japanese people weren't so intent on saving (at least earlier), we might've seen a major drop off in quality of life.

I wonder if a lot of the Tokyo=expensive hype comes from property values. I'm sure Ginza land is still astronomical in price, but how much influence does that have on the decision to name Tokyo #1. The last list I'd seen was about 2 years ago, and NY was 2 with Osaka 3. Wonder if that's still true...

Aside from the already mentioned apartments, typical life can be quite inexpensive in Tokyo...unless you're a Japanese girl, in which case Louis Vuitton bags are a must have in 3 different sizes. Most of the young people I know still live with their parents after they got out of school...one even saved enough from a PART TIME job to buy a car...so Japan isn't necessarily expensive for everyone. It's when you start hitting bars 4 times a week and venturing into hostess clubs that it starts costing you money...not that I would know about that. Ramen and karaoke is as cheap a night as you can find.

MeAndroo said:

I wonder if a lot of the Tokyo=expensive hype comes from property values. I'm sure Ginza land is still astronomical in price, but how much influence does that have on the decision to name Tokyo #1. The last list I'd seen was about 2 years ago, and NY was 2 with Osaka 3. Wonder if that's still true...

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Last I heard that was the case, and that was a couple of months ago.

MeAndroo said:

...one even saved enough from a PART TIME job to buy a car...so Japan isn't necessarily expensive for everyone.

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Wow, now that's thrifty!

MeAndroo said:

It's when you start hitting bars 4 times a week and venturing into hostess clubs that it starts costing you money...

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Man, isn't that the truth. But then again, it's not just in Tokyo that that's the case.

P.S. Did you edit and add that last part? I'm pretty sure it wasn't there when I orginally read the message, but when I hit "quote," there it was!

Suka A Bazooka!